Meeting Dreams
by scottishfae
Summary: [AC] Nothing can be greater than finally reaching the dream you've worked for since a child, right? Naruto - Sakura *friendship* piece. Please look at the in-story warnings before reading.


**MEETING DREAMS **||_**scottishfae**_

**NARUTO **|| _I own nothing and make no money from this work of fiction._

**PG **|| _General_

**WARNINGS **|| _There is mention of homosexual relationships in this story._

**PAIRINGS **|| _Mentions of Lee x Sakura; Mentions of Naruto and someone else._

**PROMPTS **|| _A - Aspire _

**NOTES **|| _This is part of the "Alphabet Challenge." It's a multi-fandom challenge of 26 stories; each story is inspired by a prompt starting with each letter of the alphabet. Since this can't be a chapter story, I'll link each story within the others._

* * *

This was it. This was what his whole life had been building up to, and yet, as he sat in his new chair, in his new office, Naruto felt uneasy.

Well, not _uneasy_ but anxious.

There were already two, rather high, piles of paperwork waiting for him. His formal coronation wouldn't be for another two weeks, but his role as the new leader would begin, officially, when he filled in the papers in front of him.

Sighing, the blonde leaned forward and grabbed the one off the top. He read through it carefully, his brows knitting at some of the more complicated sections. It was mostly legal jargon, a contract of sorts, and Naruto scribbled his name on it.

"Naruto? Are you free?"

"Yeah, come in Sakura," he called out.

The pink-haired woman entered with a smile. She had another pile of papers in her arms and an apologetic smile on her face. Naruto shook his head at her and directed her where to put them.

"Did you just start?" she asked, watching as he put the first page in the box labeled 'OUT' and grabbed the next on the pile.

"Yeah, I've kinda been wandering around the tower for a bit-it hasn't felt like a real day; like this is all some sort of dream."

Sakura laughed; it was reserved but friendly. She reached out and ruffled the already messy blonde locks. "Trust me, it's surreal for the rest of us too."

Naruto joined her in laughing, pulling his head out of her reach as he looked down at the next paper. More legal jargon; another signature scratched out. He put it with the other and grabbed the next-this time is was a stapled pile of about ten pages of the Hyuuga clan letterhead.

"When are they coming to measure you for your robes?"

"Not until tomorrow morning; the council wants me to get these all finished first."

"You'll be here until morning with this pile," she said, thumbing through some of the pages. "Are most of these just for you to sign?"

"Yeah. It's mostly just formal, bureaucratic stuff. This," he said, tapping his pen on the line he was reading. "Is a 'contract' with the Hyuuga clan stating their terms for being in the village and what they expect from me, and what I can expect from them."

"You're kidding?" Sakura grabbed at the packet and read through the first page. "I didn't know this existed. Do all the clans have these?"

"Yeah; there is one for the civilians; one for the ANBU; every group of people in this village gets a contract with me. I guess it was the First's way of making sure no one person or group ever got too powerful."

Sakura 'hmmed,' starting to recall something in their early days of school that talked about that. Not that it seemed really important at that young age; before even Sasuke began to matter.

"So all this stuff is just a formality?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Sakura moved to grab a handful of the first stack of papers. Naruto watched her curiously. She moved closer to him, grabbing at one of the drawers and pulling it open. The blonde hadn't had a chance to reorganize everything to his liking, and the page holders that Tsunade used were still there. Sakura grabbed them. "I'll start going through and finding every place that needs your signature and mark it. Can you speed read?"

Naruto shook his head. "I can skim though," he said with a cheeky smile.

She smiled back and sent him to it. The two former teammates fell into a companionable silence as they worked together. Outside of the spacious office, other familiar voices were calling back and forth to each other. They tuned them out as if they worked through the first stack fairly quickly.

"This is the last of the first. You want to take a little break before we jump into the second?"

Naruto looked up; he was further behind than her but not by much. "I'm actually a little hungry," he said sheepishly. "Want to see if someone will bring us some takeout?"

"Already abusing your powers?" she teased. "What would you like? I'll run somewhere-the exercise will do me good."

Naruto's smile widened. It wasn't common knowledge, but Sakura and her husband were expecting their first. She had let him in the know-along with Tsunade-so that she could be taken off the mission rotation. "I don't have any preferences; get what you want and just grab me something too."

Sakura shook her head; it sometimes took her by surprise how much the hyperactive blonde man had grown up. Grown up-but not always mature. "I'll be back in twenty," she told him. "Egg or pork?"

"Just tell the old man it's for me, and he'll know what I like."

She rolled her eyes. "You know, most people don't have a close-personal relationship with ramen-stand owners."

Naruto looked at her, his eyes twinkling. "When I have I ever been 'most people?'"

Sakura shook her head, matching his idiotic smile, as she turned from him. "Twenty minutes, okay? Jump into the next pile if you get done before I come back."

"Thanks, Sakura."

She gave him a quick backwards wave as she left the room. Naruto turned back to the last bit of his stack. He had almost completely stopped 'reading' the pages; just seeing what the subject matter was and then going through and signing where Sakura had tagged it.

He would definitely need to remember to treat her to a nice meal later in the week. Or better yet, arrange for her and Lee to go somewhere on him.

()

It was just after midnight when the two finally finished their work. Naruto had tried to send Sakura home several times, especially since she finished up before him, but she insisted on staying with him until he was fully done.

"When are you moving?" Sakura asked, it finally occurring to her that she wouldn't be able to walk with her friend home soon.

"I don't know yet; I suppose I'll find out tomorrow when I turn all that damn paperwork in," he was walking with his hands his pockets. "When are you and Lee moving into larger accommodations?"

"We're still looking. Neither of us want to live in council-housing, so we're trying to find a detached or semi-detached house we can afford. Unfortunately, our market isn't very big given our budget; not directly in town, at least."

Naruto nodded, listening to her concern and filing it away. He had been given a very large sum of money when he had turned twenty; it was his inheritance from his father that he was to be given when he came of age. He had no use for it.

They had made it into the streets now. The area directly around the tower was always busy, ninja rarely had regular hours, but as they passed into the commercial and residential areas, the streets became silent and dark.

"You know," Sakura began. "You seem to be awful placid recently-especially considering you've finally reached your dream."

It wasn't an outright accusation that something was wrong, but it was almost there. Naruto just shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing's wrong; and trust me, in the privacy of my home, I've completed freaked out over it all."

This elicited a slight giggle from the pink-haired woman, but she stayed silent for him to continue. For a while it didn't seem he was going to. They continued to walk, until his apartment building came into sight. They would pass it though, they always did, and instead he would walk Sakura home.

As a girl and a teen, the idea that she would need his protection would just upset her; she wasn't weak! But she understood, he did it because it was how he showed he cared. Naruto, like many of the male ninja, were emotionally constipated. And, if nothing else, the blonde man had always been a man of action.

"I'm really happy that I've finally done it," Naruto continue. "It's always been my dream; and I've accomplished it and so much more. But, what now?"

Sakura looked at him with her brows knit. "I don't follow."

"I've accomplished my goal; the one thing I wanted most out of life, I've gotten it, and while still in my twenties at that. Is this it for me? What do I aspire to now?"

Sakura stopped abruptly and reached out and grabbed Naruto's arm so he would too. "This isn't the Naruto I know. Since when do you doubt yourself so much?"

The blonde grimaced and shrugged his shoulders. He was uncertain about himself for the first time since he was a young boy.

She watched him with a careful eye. Naruto had grown tall and broad; he was a perfect specimen: both of the male and ninja form. His hair had grown longer, and he wore it more of the style of his father's. All in all, he just was amazing: devilishly handsome, clever, powerful, friendly, and confident...usually.

Except, even with all his friends, Naruto still kept mostly private. He didn't date. He would attend group outings with friends, but would never stay beyond the restaurant. He had become a loner.

"So, you're worried that now that you've reached your goal you won't have anything to aspire to?"

Naruto nodded.

"Well, that's just stupid. You just need to realign your aspirations. For one, make it your goal to be the absolute best at everything you do."

She hooked her arm around his and pulled him so they were walking again. "And then, look for other areas in your life that you can set goals."

"Like?" he said, his smile back on his face.

"Well, like keeping your new home clean, for one," she rolled her eyes as he snorted. "Or how about hanging out with your friends more?"

Again the blonde shrugged. "Everyone's kind of ahead of me, socially."

Sakura gave him a skeptical look. "I definitely don't follow that."

"Most of the people around our age have started getting married and having families. And it makes me happy to see the people I care about happy, but I don't really have a lot to connect with them anymore."

"We're ninja-we'll always have that in common. The only thing that has changed is how you look at it."

Naruto shook his head. "Did you ever notice the people everyone's parents hung out with? Did you ever see Iruka or Kakashi hang out with Ino's parents? Or vice versa?"

She shook her head slowly, trying to recall who she had seen those two hang out with. Or, for that matter, who her own, non-ninja, parents kept as friends.

"Soon enough you'll be joining all the others our age with families and your life will expand to include baby junior A and then baby junior B and all the way up to Baby junior J and what we have to talk about will either be business or be family-and I..."

He trailed off, but Sakura understood. She tightened her grip on his arm, knowing that his lack of a family had always been a sad subject. Not even knowing about them now helped not having them when he needed them most. "Things aren't going to change that much. And Lee and I have already discussed your importance in our baby's life; so whether you like it or not, you'll be there with the whole thing.

Naruto laughed. "Please, I don't want to be in the delivery room. I love you Sakura, but there are parts of your body I would no longer like to see-and especially not with someone coming out of it."

She joined him laughing. She tilted her head and rested it on his shoulder; Naruto let her arm go so he could wrap it around her. "Have you ever thought about dating? I know you and Hinata had a few dates back-in-the-day, but I've never seen you with anyone else."

"I think I've, unfortunately, fallen into the footsteps of all the great men who have taught me."

"I'm assuming you me a bachelor, since Iruka taught you and he's not a pervert."

They shared another laugh together. "But, even Iruka dated, from time to time. Kakashi too."

"Yeah, each other."

Sakura's face bugged for a second. "You're joking? Iruka and Kakashi? How come I never knew?"

"I don't think I was ever suppose to know; I just kind of stumbled in on them when I went to go visit Iruka. I heard grunting and groaning, and not being of sound mind at the time, I rushed in thinking Iruka was in trouble. I saw a lot more of both men than I ever wanted to see."

The pink-haired woman stopped them as she burst out in giggles. She covered her mouth to stifle the noise, hoping she hadn't woken anyone up. "You're joking?!"

"Afraid not. I got such a lecture that day too."

"About knocking and not barging in?"

"About not forgetting that, while Iruka may be a teacher, he's also a ninja and that he could take care of himself."

"He was more angry that you came to 'help' him?"

"Yeah. Kakashi sat in the corner, trying not to laugh under his mask, and sitting nude as ever. It didn't seem to bug him. Iruka had at least covered up."

They were both laughing now. Tears were coming to Naruto's eyes and he wiped them away with the heel of his hand.

"Figures he would have sex with that stupid mask on," Sakura laughed still. "I've all but given up trying to see under it."

Naruto pulled Sakura forward some so they were walking again. He had a smug expression on his face, though he would start chuckling again every few minutes. "I've seen him without it."

"No way?! That's not fair-when and how? Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"You could say it was my birthday presents several years ago."

"Sounds like Kakashi was being cheap," she mumbled and then added more excitedly. "What does he look like?"

"Young. Real young, actually. I understand one of the reasons he wears it; no one would take him seriously without it-our ninja or enemies."

"Wow."

Sakura walked quietly for a bit, thinking about a young-looking Kakashi without any mask. She wished she knew what his smile looked like in the open. "It's still not fair that he showed you and not me. I was his student too."

"I don't think he had planned it, to be honest."

"Huh?"

Naruto's mirth had been wiped now and he was walking looking at the ground again. "Naruto, what is it?" she prodded.

"Hinata and I didn't work for a reason, and I could never really figure it out. Then, a few days before my birthday, I was out on a mission and I was hit on by this really attractive...person, and it had me wondering...well, it had me wondering."

"Oh, Naruto," Sakura quietly commented; she wasn't smart for nothing.

She grabbed his arm back and made sure to hold onto it tightly. "So how did Kakashi factor in on all this?"

"I went to him to ask him a few questions. He was amused by it, really, and I asked how did I really 'know,' and he took down his mask, smiled at me, and kissed me. When he pulled back, he asked me did it feel good, and that my answer was my answer."

"You aren't..._dating_ him are you?"

Naruto gave a startled snort. "Hell no. Is that really the only response you have to that story?"

"Well, yeah. You're still you, Naruto-I don't care who you're attracted to. Hell, most of the village thought you and Sasuke had a thing for each other back before, so this isn't that big of a deal. Though-Ino might have liked to know ages earlier so she could have tried hooking you up with the proper gender."

The blonde breathed out a sigh of relief, allowing some of his tension leave his shoulders; he wasn't sure, now, why he had kept it from her for so long.

"I am still pissed about you see Kakashi's face though-I'm going to bring it to him."

He laughed at her. "You do that. You can also ask him about his tattoo-the one below his trousers. He should sputter quite a bit on that one."

Again, Sakura gave him a strange eye but he waved it off. "Saw it when I walked in on Iruka and him. They aren't, obviously, still together. Though I think they should be. They had a way of complementing each other's personalities well."

They were almost at Sakura's building. Her small apartment was the only one with the outside light still on; through the curtained window, Lee's silhouette could be seen. Naruto smiled at the man; he was a good match for his friend-the complemented each other well too. He told her so.

"Naruto, don't think that the beginning is the end, okay? When one goal is reached, there are always more to make. You just have to figure out what your next aspiration is, and go for it. And know, you always have your friends behind you-families or not."

The blonde chuckled. Sakura reached and hugged him. He returned it and they stood their in a familiar embrace for several minutes. "No more being down?" she whispered.

"No more; can't, really. I get all mushy and end up bearing trusted secrets that way."

"Sounds like a huge security breach; better not tell our enemies. They'll know exactly how to get us."

They shared another quick laugh. It felt good; Naruto couldn't remember how long it had been since he been this open. His smile left as he felt Sakura's hug tighten to an uncomfortable level. "Um, Sakura?"

"And if you ever give Lee the idea that we're having ten kids, I will murder you in your sleep and no one will be able to stop me-or blame me."

Naruto coughed as his lungs began to feel the pressure. "Um, you may want to talk to your husband then; he's been telling everyone ten is his lucky number."

Sakura released the blonde quickly. She had a deadly look in her eyes. She brought her fists together and popped the knuckles. "Well, I'll fix that, won't it."

He winced at the thought of what, exactly, was going to be 'fixed.' "Don't be too harsh on him. This was right after the wedding and he was just so happy to be your husband. He probably doesn't even remember it."

Sakura allowed herself to relax a little. "Still wouldn't hurt setting him in place."

Naruto felt pity for the exuberant man. He was going to have a hard night. "Thanks Sakura," he called to her as she turned to leave.

She paused for a second to turn around. "You're welcome. Though, I can't promise that a few of our 'important' friends might not hear about some of tonight's conversation, if that's okay?"

"Are you and Ino going to try and play matchmaker?"

She smiled at him brightly and gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Naruto sighed. "Just, leave the bits about Iruka and Kakashi out of it. _All _the stuff about Kakashi. Okay? I don't really have permission to tell that."

"Not a problem."

"See you tomorrow," he said, ending the long night.

Lee was looking at the window at them. "Good night, Naruto."

She waved one last time before moving to the outside staircase. She flew up to the third floor easily enough and greeted Lee with a quick kiss as he held the door open for her. He waved at Naruto before going in and closing the door.

The blonde sighed and started towards his own home at a quicker pace.

He hadn't told her the whole truth, and was already feeling bad for it. But it wasn't his place to tell other's business.

The door opened for him as he reached his soon-to-be 'old' apartment. The person there greeted him with a yawn and stepped out of the way. Naruto gave him a peck as he entered.

"Why are you so late?"

"Paperwork-and I walked Sakura home. I didn't wake you, did I?'

The other man shook his head. "Nope, been waiting up for you. Now, sleep?"

Naruto gave a husky chuckle. He grabbed the other man's waist and pulled him closer. "I have another idea first."


End file.
